Sony Showcases Personal and Home Networking Products

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Sony Showcases Personal and Home Networking Products

Highlights Include New HDTV Sets, DVD-Video Players, MiniDisc Portables, Colorful PSYC Series Products and CD Mavica Still Cameras
Feb. 28 -- Sony Electronics today unveiled a number of new audio/video and information technology products as part of the company's annual dealer open house events. The 2001 line show, which will make stops in East Rutherford, N.J., Chicago, and San Francisco, highlights Sony's latest personal and home networking products to dealers and press.

"Sony is driving the industry with its category-defining products that provide new benefits and new lifestyle experiences for consumers," said Michael A. Vitelli, president of Sony Electronics' Consumer Electronics Group. "Our open house activities demonstrate to our retail customers how Sony products not only capture people's imaginations, but enhance their lives in the process."

According to Vitelli, the company's 20,000 square foot exhibit emphasizes how digital technology makes dreams come true. Some examples include:

New Integrated HDTV Sets
With the transition to high-definition television (HDTV) slowly coming into focus, Sony is setting its sights toward the next generation of home entertainment with the announcement of three new, advanced HDTV sets for the fall. Helping consumers move closer to the vision of the digitally networked home -- where two-way communication and security between digital devices is the ultimate goal -- Sony is introducing a 34-inch flat screen FD Trinitron direct-view set (KD-34XBR2) and two rear-projection HDTVs in 57- and 65-inch screen sizes (KDP-57XBR2, KDP-65XBR2).

All three of the new 16:9 aspect ratio HDTV sets feature integrated digital tuners to receive and decode all 18 ATSC formats and two i.LINK (IEEE-1394) digital interfaces with the so-called 5C-endorsed Digital Transmission Content Protection software.

More WEGA and Hi-Scan 1080i Television Sets
Responding to the growing number of A/V enthusiasts, sports fans and home theater aficionados, Sony is unveiling its most complete collection of direct view and projection televisions for 2001. The impressive array of new models ranges in size from a portable Watchman TV with a 2.2-inch screen to a stunning 61-inch rear projection set.

Many of these new Hi-Scan 1080i TVs incorporate the company's proprietary Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction and CineMotion circuitry that delivers unsurpassed picture quality with four times the detail of a typical TV image.

DVD-Video Expansion
As DVD moves into new segments of the home, Sony is unveiling its first DVD-Video player with cross-generational appeal and an innovative style that is expected to strengthen the company's leadership position in the U.S. DVD home entertainment market.

Sony's new, silver-toned DVP-F21 player, which can be used vertically, horizontally or hanging on a wall, is versatile enough to complement any A/V system, whether it is in an ultra-modern living room, a stylish bedroom, a hip dorm room or high-tech office environment.

And in response to the success of Sony's original DVD Dream System (the DAV-S300), the company is rolling out two new systems for 2001. The units (offered in single- and five-disc models) feature the ultimate in sound quality with Dolby Digital and dts decoding, increased total system power, new full digital amplifier technology, and multi-channel Super Audio CD (SACD) playback functionality.

Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) Additions
Sony is expanding its product line by adding an ES series five-disc changer and a single-disc unit with SACD multi-channel playback capability. The SCD-C222ES joins the award-winning line of Sony ES audio products, delivering SACD/CD playback performance in the five-disc category. The unit shares the spotlight with the single-disc SCD-EX670, which has many of the same features as the ES SACD player, but stresses affordability while delivering SACD multi-channel sound performance.

Long Play MiniDisc for Music Downloads
For Gen Y'ers who like to make personalized music mixes they can take anywhere, Sony is introducing seven new MiniDisc Walkman models with G-Protection skip-free technology, MDLP Long Play Mode (to record more than five hours of music on one MD), and extended battery life. Three of the new units are bundled with a PCLink for easy Internet downloads.

Colorful PSYC Series
Looking for your signature color? Sony is announcing a new line of PSYC portable audio products in bright, opaque hues such as rage red, zest yellow and wave navy. The new line of CD Walkman personal stereos, CD cassette recorders, headphones and clock radios makes a fashion statement while you listen to music.

wisp.ear Headsets Are Comfy and Cool
If you are tired of the neck cramp you get from cradling the phone receiver or wish you could find a high-quality and more comfortable headset for your cell phone, Sony is fulfilling your needs with the introduction of the new wisp.ear line of headsets. Designed in coordinating violet, putty and silver, the wisp.ear headset and base units are a nice complement to today's phones and PCs.

Powerful Telephones with Four Handsets
For the multi-tasker, Sony is offering a new line of residential telephones. The new QuadraStation phones are high-power digital spread spectrum 2.4GHz systems which can accommodate up to four handsets with charging cradles without the need to install additional telephone jacks.

CD Mavica Cameras Offer High Capacity Storage, Megapixel Resolution
Sony is introducing two new CD Mavica digital still cameras that take high-capacity, disc-based photography to new levels, with the ability to use CD-RW in addition to CD-R media. Compatible with virtually any PC's CD drive, CD-R/RW discs provide the lowest cost-per-megabyte storage in the digital camera industry. With 156MB capacity, photographers can store more than 1,000 VGA still images and more than 90 minutes of MPEG video on tiny 8cm discs. The MVC-CD200 model offers 2.1 megapixel resolution and a 3X optical zoom lens with 6X digital zoom. The MVC-CD300 unit adds 3.3 megapixel resolution, a 3X Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar zoom lens, and three-shot, two-frames-per- second burst or exposure bracketing modes.

LCD Monitors Help Minimize Clutter
Tired of all the clutter around your computer display? Then take a look at the two newest additions to Sony's Multiscan LCD lineup. The 18-inch (18.1- inch viewable image size) CPD-M81 has a handsome two-tone gray casing that surrounds a vibrant, crisp TFT screen. It is designed to complement the high-tech interior of your home or office. The unit is joined by the CPD-M51/B, a 15-inch (15.1-inch viewable) TFT display with a matte black frame that matches many of today's desktop systems.

Both displays feature Sony's Zero Footprint Design, which allows for desktop, arm or wall mounting to free up precious desk space. The units also incorporate stereo speakers to maximize the multimedia experience.

SONY 2001 OPEN HOUSE PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Home Entertainment Products

HDTV (with integrated ATSC tuners, i.LINK and 5C Digital Transmission Content Protection)
KDP-65XBR2 65-inch PJTV (Fall '01, $6,000)
KDP-57XBR2 57-inch PJTV (Fall '01, $5,000)
KD-34XBR2 34-inch direct view TV (Fall '01, $4,000)

Direct View TV

KV-32HS20 32-inch WEGA Hi-Scan 1080i TV (July, $1,900)
KV-36HS20 36-inch WEGA Hi-Scan 1080i TV (July, $2,400)
KV-32XBR450 32-inch WEGA XBR Hi-Scan 1080i TV (July, $2,000)
KV-36XBR450 36-inch WEGA XBR Hi-Scan 1080i TV (July, $2,500)

Projection TV

KP-43HT20 43-inch Hi-Scan 1080i Tabletop PJTV (August, $2,500)
KP-51HW40 51-inch Hi-Scan 1080i Widescreen PJTV (October, $3,500)
KP-57HW4 0 57-inch Hi-Scan 1080i Widescreen PJTV (October, $4,000)

DVD Dream Systems

DAV-S500 Single-Disc DVD/CD/SACD Player (July $600)
DAV-C700 Five-Disc DVD/CD/SACD Changer (July, $800)
DVD/CD Players (horizontal/vertical/wall hanging unit)
DVD-F21 DVD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW Player (Fall '01, $300)

SACD Multi-Channel Players

SCD-XE670 Single-Disc SACD Player (Sept., $300)
SCD-C222ES Five-Disc SACD Changer (Sept., $800)

Personal Entertainment Products

Portable MiniDisc (with G-Protection, MDLP, and PC Link)

MZ-R500PC MD Walkman Personal Stereo (June $180)
MZ-G750DPC MD Walkman Personal Stereo (June $300)
MZ-R900DPC MD Walkman Personal Stereo (July $350)

PSYC Line (in Rage Red, Zest Yellow, and Wave Navy colors for Gen Y)

D-E220 PSYC CD Walkman Player (April, $50)
D-EJ622 PSYC CD/CD-R/RW Walkman Player in Pop Orange, Go Green, Moon Blue (April, $90)
CFD-E75 PSYC CD Cassette Recorder with CD-R/RW playback (June, $80)
ICF-C111 PSYC Dream Machine(R) Clock Radio (April, $15)
MDR-G63LP PSYC Streetstyle(R) headphones (April, $30)
w.ear headphone caps in new PSYC colors (April, $6)

Clock Radio